Thursday, November 26, 2009

I would remiss if I didn't stop for a few minutes this Thanksgiving and thank God for all of the wonderful quilters who made the HOPE SQUARED project a success. Our quilt count will hit 500 this weekend as the few "late entries" arrive! I am so thankful that my mom and I are up to our eyeballs (literally) in quilts. I am thankful that we are able to GIVE to others.I am thankful for each person reading this blog.I am thankful for each person who made a quilt and sent it to us over the last 2 months.I am thankful that good has triumphed over evil.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Did you know that you can machine sew your bindings down and still have the same crisp look of a hand sewn binding? I finished FOUR quilt bindings in about 2 hours today and it's all thanks to Red Pepper Quilt's lovely binding tutorial that was posted today. This tutorial shares how to eliminate the final time-sucking step of hand sewing the binding down. I needed this tutorial like a car needs gasoline--I have about 13 more quilts to finish in about, oh, 3 days. Anything that can save me dozens of hours in a lifesaver! Check it out!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Today I wanted to focus on the quilts we have received from International locations. Pictured below are the finished quilts that came from Canada-I also have two tops that I have finished off except for the bindings (which I always mean to do in my "spare time" after the kids are in bed...hmmm..I wonder why they aren't done yet) and I will post pictures of them when I am done because they are great.

Just today we recieved quilts from Switzerland, England, and the Netherlands!

In the past few weeks quilts from Scotland and Uraguay have arrived. I know there is a package somewhere in the world's mail system from Turkey.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

8 quilts arrived in the mail today which raises our total to 400!!! God is faithful folks and I will take a few sentences here to testify to it. In late July I walked away from the Grand Rapids Public Schools Administration Building knowing that there had to be a way for Margaret's Hope Chest to provide a quilt for EVERY homeless child in the district. I had no idea what that way was going to be.

N.O. I.D.E.A.

You see, we are a small operation. V.E.R.Y. S.M.A.L.L. Like me and my mom and 10 volunteers kinda small.

But God knew.

He knew that Jade from Craft Hope would choose us to be their 5th project.He knew that Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts received a special quilt when she was a child and would have a soft heart for our project.He knew that Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood from Craft Sanity and the Grand Rapids Press would take so much time and care in telling our story.He knew that many of you would add our button to your blog-spreading the word further.He knew that each and every person who sent us a quilt would invest the time and money needed to serve the children of Grand Rapids.He knew it all and that's why today I can rejoice with you over 400 beautiful handmade quilts and quilt tops ready to be shared with those needing a bit of extra HOPE.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

This is a video of a news story about Margaret's Hope Chest from Friday afternoon. The woman interviewed in my Aunt Marcia. She is a Kindergarten teacher in Kalamazoo (about 45 min. south of Grand Rapids) and she organized a quilt top making party at her school for our HOPE SQUARED project. Thanks to all of the students and volunteers who made this happen! 30 children will be blessed through their work!

***You have to use the fast forward tool on the bottom of the video player to minute 5:15 to watch the story--sorry, I couldn't find a video of just this story***

Friday, November 13, 2009

Thursday, November 12, 2009

AFTER:24 boxes arrived in the mail today. The mail carrier expressed some curiosity over the number of packages my parent's have been receiving :)...so my dad gave her a copy of the newspaper article describing the Hope Squared Project and suggested she read it when she had a few minutes. We'll see what she says tomorrow. In total there were 42 quilts added to the lot today...400 still looks a far way off but I have faith that God knows exactly how many we need to serve the children!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Come rain, snow, or sleet the United States Postal Service (and FedEx, UPS, and Canada Post!) are delivering quilts every hour of the day!! Our total now is up to 225-and I don't think that number will stay for very long. Oh how beautiful these quilts are. We are completely humbled by the generosity of the quilters of the world. Some of you are spending close to $20 to send these quilts and fabric to us....add that to the cost of the quilts and the time spent constructing them--wow! Will we ever be able to say thanks enough?

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Last week I was able to dust off my pointer, find my long-lost teacher voice and make a little visit to my daughter's class to share the story of Margaret's Hope Chest and enlist their help to design 2 quilts for the Hope Squared project. Man, were they excited....thankfully, we were able to channel all of that excitement into 91 nine-patch blocks (with 2 inch squares). We talked about some big concepts like the color wheel, complimentary colors, and monochromatic blocks. Well, I think they learned something because just look at their first quilt, WOW! Mom will have to find about 10 extra hours in the next few days to finish the second one!

This is a blog which documents the activities of Margaret's Hope Chest-a quilting non-profit organization birthed out of the tragic murder of 81-year old Margaret Herrema. Our website MargaretsHopeChest.com is a great place for more information about what we do.

GET INVOLVED IN 'WRAPPED IN HOPE'!

Bring HOPE to child who has a parent in prison this year--make a quilt for Wrapped In Hope